University of San Francisco vs Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU)

Nestled in the heart of San Francisco and overlooking the Pacific Ocean in San Diego, University of San Francisco (USF) and Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) offer distinct educational experiences. USF, a private Jesuit university, boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on social justice, while PLNU, a private Christian university, emphasizes spiritual growth and community engagement. With acceptance rates of 69% and 75%, respectively, both universities offer competitive admissions. USF's popular majors include business, nursing, and biology, while PLNU's strengths lie in business, psychology, and education. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further differences, including student demographics, graduation rates, and more, to determine which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal values.
Point Loma Nazarene University logo

Point Loma Nazarene University

University of San Francisco logo

University of San Francisco

Overview

Location San Diego, California San Francisco, California
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 84.0% 86.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Evangelical Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 83.7% 70.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $55

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $55
SAT range 1170 - 1350 1190 - 1390
ACT range 22 - 30 26 - 31
Students submitting SAT score 15.0% 17.0%
Students submitting ACT score 10.0% 11.0%
Total number of applicants 3,060 22,372
Total number of admissions given out 2,560 15,867
Admitted students who chose to enroll 662 1,452
Yield rate 25.9% 9.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $62,642 $75,232
Average net price $34,851 $39,825
Tuition $38,800 $52,920
Room & board $11,300
Room/dormitory: $11,030

Meal plan: $5,110
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $18,365
92.0%
Average amount $31,112
Students receiving federal student loan 45.0%
Average amount $5,325
47.0%
Average amount $5,182
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $22,040
6.0%
Average amount $23,306

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 3,174
Men 34.3% Women 65.7%
5,969
Men 35.6% Women 64.4%
Graduate students 1,271
Men 29.2% Women 70.8%
4,065
Men 34.0% Women 66.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 26.3% 35.6%
International students 1.1% 12.9%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,845 2,800
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Washington Colorado Arizona Hawaii California Washington Oregon Texas Hawaii

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Health Professions
  • Psychology
  • Education
  • Business
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 13:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 72.7% 75.6%
Dropout rate 3.8% 7.8%
Transferred out 22.9% 16.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,619
  • Year 2: $118,210
  • Year 3: $128,990
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,406
  • Year 2: $85,206
  • Year 3: $89,492
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,310
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $80,351
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $66,821
  • Year 3: $76,001
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $63,749
  • Year 3: $74,448
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,649
  • Year 2: $61,681
  • Year 3: $59,139
Business/Corporate Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,198
  • Year 2: $40,402
  • Year 3: $43,339
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,184
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $43,147
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,147
  • Year 2: $32,925
  • Year 3: $41,978
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,647
  • Year 2: $30,228
  • Year 3: $35,103
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $154,879
  • Year 2: $175,674
  • Year 3: $161,396
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $103,844
  • Year 2: $91,744
  • Year 3: $130,019
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $117,274
  • Year 2: $122,038
  • Year 3: $127,016
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,668
  • Year 2: $100,292
  • Year 3: $112,643
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,719
  • Year 2: $96,866
  • Year 3: $106,157
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $97,959
  • Year 3: $105,769
Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $103,513
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,025
  • Year 2: $79,284
  • Year 3: $95,947
Law (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,019
  • Year 2: $67,101
  • Year 3: $85,917
Economics (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,064
  • Year 2: $67,660
  • Year 3: $78,626

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